Adventures of a Spoiled Eater/The Lazy Meal

Let me just lay it all out there…I was spoiled when I lived with my parents. Yes, I was spoiled by the things that they gave me, but I was VERY spoiled by having a mother who was an amazing cook, baker, and master of all things kitchen. Unfortunately, and I’ve said it before, I never really took the time to learn from her all of her kitchen secrets. I never really had her show me how to create all of the amazing dishes she would make for our nightly dinners; instead I was just sitting at the table waiting to eat.

Now that I am on my own I have actually started learning how to cook for myself, and I must say there have been some pretty impressive moments so far..see here, here and here! Since M. and I have been in pre-wedding diet mode sometimes the regular “grilled chicken with a side of whatever vegetable we have in our fridge” meal gets old. While we’ve come up with some delicious and healthy alternatives to the plain old chicken meal (BBQ pulled pork and corn, crock pot chicken with cream of mushroom soup and wild rice) we can’t really go crazy with our ingredients BECAUSE we are determined to eat healthy.

Until after the wedding when I will start coming home and actually cooking a few meals a week, we’ve found one more meal that really requires no effort at all…unless you consider hitting the buttons on the microwave a daunting task.

Now like I mentioned above – I am a spoiled eater (note: not picky eater, spoiled eater!). I like pretty much everything and I’ll try pretty much everything, but I like to have home cooked meals (although I do love a good meal out!) and I literally do not remember one time when I was growing up where I had to resort to a “frozen” meal…unless of course it was frozen homemade lasagna…you get the picture. So when M. brought home a Healthy Choice Café Steamer I was a little bit skeptical – Ok, more than skeptical, afraid – I was afraid of a frozen meal. Sad, I know.

He started eating them for lunch (they’re only around 400 calories) and was pretty impressed with the way that they tasted considering they were from the frozen meal section in the grocery store.

Finally, about a month ago I decided I would try one. I picked up the “Chicken Margarita” on one of our weekly grocery shopping trips and M. picked up his favorite, the “Chicken Marinara”. The night that I tried it I had M. make it for me – yes, see how spoiled I am?! I don’t even want to be the one to put the frozen dinner in the microwave…or maybe I just like M. “making” me dinner!

I was surprised, but I actually really liked it and as a bonus it was extremely filling!! It’s the perfect thing to eat when you come home from a long day at work and don’t even want to think about making anything, not to mention it keeps you on your diet plan.

We’ve incorporated these “meals” into our weekly meal schedule (just once a week) and I am finally coming to terms with the fact that I’ve eaten a frozen meal....but of course I would still rather have something homemade... :)